Doffing means for cotton pickers



March 24, 1936. E. A. JOHNSTON DOF-FING M EANS FOR COTTON PICKERS Filed April 10, 1955 Patented Mar. 24, 1936,

ENE'E'ED 'i'ATES PATENT OFFICE 2,034,907 DOFFING llIEANS FOR COTTON PICKERS specifically, it r Edward A. Johnston,

Chicago, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 10, 1935, Serial No. 15,536

13 Claims.

cotton pickers. More elates to an improvement in the dofling means for a cotton picker of the rotating spindle type.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved dofiing which is more effective in removing mechanism cotton from a rotating picking spindle than the dofiing means heretofore employed.

Another object is to provide dofiing means incorporating a p ositive, rigid dofing element and a resilient dofiing element, whereby the advantages of each type may be obtained.

These objects ent from the d and others, which will be apparetailed description to follow, are

attained by a construction as shown in the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view, rotating spindle type of showing a portion of a doifer drum and a doffing means therefor embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the axis of the dofiing means, showing the picking drum in elevation;

Figure 3 is a section through the axis of a modified form of doifing means;

Figure 4. is a top plan view of the positive doffing member; a

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the dofiing member carrying the resilient dofiing means.

Cotton pickers embodying a revolving drum on which rotating picker spindles are carried are well known in ments, the spindles have sist in the domng of the The Edward A shows a cotton picker type, in which the art. In the later deve1opbeen constructed to ascotton fibers therefrom. Johnston Patent No. 1,888,506 of the rotating spindle the spindles are conical and are arranged at an angle to provide a dofiing area of contact to facilitate is on a picker the removal of fibers. It

of this particular type that the present invention is adapted to be embodied. As said patent shows the drum driving and supporting means,

and, as such structures are well ing spindles l i,

has been shown only diagrammatically, being the same in construction and operation as sh to. The drum sufficient to in own in the patent above referred I0 is driven at a uniform speed ove the periphery of the drum which carries the spindles I I at a speed substantially the same as the speed of travel of the frame structure on which the drum is mounted. The cotton plants are directed into contact with the picking spindles as well known in the art and as 5 shown in the patent above referred to. The drum continues to rotate after contact with the plant and comes into contact with the doffing means. By arranging the conical spindles at an angle, as illustrated, the upper edges of the spindles lie in planes perpendicular to the axis of the drum, whereby said edges, in the rotation of the drum and of the spindles, form a plain surface for doifing, which makes possible a dofiing action over an area of contact, instead of a line contact, of such a construction as herein provided.

In the dofling of spindles of the type illustrated, it has been found desirable to utilize positive doifing elements operating as close to the spindles as possible without actual contact therewith. Such positive dofiing elements remove any cotton bolls or other foreign material which may be carried by the spindles, as well as the major portion of the cotton fibers. However, it is also important to provide a resilient dofiing element in actual contact with the spindles to remove the remaining fibers and to maintain the spindles in a clean condition. If there is no actual contacting dofiing means, a deposit of gum is apt to form on the spindles, with which the cotton fibers engage, forming a substance which cannot be removed by dofiing means in any manner. These points, important in the dofiing of cotton from picking spindles, have been mentioned to give a background for the present invention and to illustrate its utility and its advance in the art.

The main frame [2, a portion of which is shown in Figure 2, on which the cotton picker is carried, forms a support for a ball bearing assembly E3, in which the lower end of the doffing unit is mounted for rotation on a vertical axis. The upper bearing has not been shown, the member M which carries sprocket teeth being broken away at the upper end. Means are provided for rotating the doiTer unit at the proper angular velocity. As illustrated, the doffer unit consists of a shaft l5, on which a plurality of dofiing members l6 are mounted. Said members include sleeves H, which abut each other, being positively clamped in position on the shaft I5 by a nut I1. As shown in Figure 4, the dofiing member l6 includes a plurality of doffing portions in the form of blades l8, which project radially and are formed with horizontal edges aligned in a plane perpendicular to the axis of 55 the shaft IS. The edges of said dofling blades are positioned and adjusted to operate closely adjacent the upper surfaces of the respective rows of picking spindles H. The blades are set to operate as closely as possible to the picking spindles without actual contact therewith during operation of the machine. Said blades aocomplish the major amount of doifing, leaving only closely wrapped cotton fibers and other material which may closely adhere to the picking spindles. Secondary dofiing members l9 are slidably mounted on the sleeve portions I! of the primary doffing members IS. The secondary members are provided with portions 20 extending outwardly between the blades l8 and carrying two rows of spirally arranged bristles 2|. Said bristles contact the upper surfaces of the spindles during operation of the machine. It will be noted that the secondary doffing members I9 are free to slide vertically with respect to the dofling members I6. The weight of said secondary members maintains the bristles 2| in contact with the picking spindles. Wear of the bristles is automatically taken care of by pressure downwardly individually of the dofilng members IS. In some conditions it may be desirable to utilize additional pressure upon the dofling members, as illustrated by the spring 22 shown in the modification of Figure 3. It will be noted that the lower portions of the dofflng members l9 engage the upper portions of the next adjacent lower doifing member I6 after the bristles have worn a substantial amount. This stop is provided to prevent actual engagement of the metallic parts of the dofiing members HQ with the spindles.

The spiral arrangement of the bristles assists in the dolfing action, as will be understood by an inspection of Figure l, which shows by arrows the direction of rotation of the picking drum and of the dofiing unit. It will be noted that the dofiing blades l8 first describe the doffing area, passing endwise from the outer ends of the spindles toward their bases. The positive blades, therefore, carry the major portion of the dofiing action and the load and wear, which might otherwise be transmitted to the dofiing bristles 2|. Said bristles follow the path of the doffing blades, being arranged spirally to obtain more of an axial stroke along the spindles, which facilitates removal of the cotton fibers wrapped circumferentially around the spindles. By this construction an effective and long life dofiing means has been provided, the major dofiing action being accomplished by positive, rigid elements, which can be constructed of metal to practically eliminate wear. The bristles, which follow contact with the spindles by a slight pressure, effectively remove the remainder of the material from the spindles without undue wear on the bristles.

It will be understood that applicant has shown and described only a preferred embodiment of his improved dual type of doffing means and that he claims as his invention all modifications thereof falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cotton picker having a rotating drum carrying a plurality of rotating picking spindles, and in combination therewith; a rotatable doffer shaft, a plurality of doffer members fixed on said shaft in spaced relation, each of said doifer members includind portions positioned to pass in close proximity to some of the spindles, and a plurality of doffing members slidably mounted on the doifer shaft below the first named doffing members, said members carrying dofiing bristles positioned to engage the surface of the picking spindles. 1 1

2. In a cotton picker having a rotating drum carrying a plurality of rotating picking spindles, and in combination therewith; a rotatable doffer. shaft, a plurality of doffer members fixed on said shaft in spaced relation, each of said doffer members including a plurality of circumferentially spaced doffing elements positioned to pass in close proximity to the edges of a row of spindles, and a plurality of doffing members slidably mounted on the dofier shaft, said members carrying doffing bristles positioned to engage the surface of the picking spindles between the doffing elements.

3. In a cotton picker having a rotating drum carrying a plurality of rotating picking spindles arranged in a circumferential row, and in combination therewith; a doffer member rotatable about a fixed axis in a fixed plane and including doffing portions positioned to pass in close proximity to the edges of a row of spindles, and a sec ond rotatable doifer member having doffing elements slidably mounted between the doffing portions first named doffing member, said dofiing elements being-positioned to engage the surface of the picking spindles.

4. In a cotton picker having a rotating drum carrying a plurality of tapered picking spindles arranged in circumferential, axially spaced rows with the spindles positioned at an angle whereby corresponding edges of the spindles in each row lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, and in combination therewith; a rotatable doffer shaft arranged parallel to the axis of the drum, a plurality of doffer members fixed on said shaft in spaced relation, each of said doffer members including a plurality of circumferentially spaced dofiing elements positioned to pass in close proximity to the edges of a row of spindles, and a plurality of doffing members slidably mounted on the doffer shaft, said members carrying doling means positioned to engage the surface of the picking spindles between the dofiing elements of the first named doffing members.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, in which resilient means are provided for maintaining the dofiing bristles in contact with the picking spindles.

6. In a cotton picker having a rotating drum carrying a plurality of tapered picking spindles arranged in circumferential, axially spaced rows with the spindles positioned at an angle whereby corresponding edges of the spindles in each row lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, and in combination therewith; a rotatable doffer shaft arranged parallel to the axis of the drum, a plurality of doifer members fixed on said shaft in spaced relation, each of said doifer members including a plurality of circumferentially spaced dofiing elements positioned to pass in close proximity to the edges of a row of spindles, and a plurality of doffing members slidably mounted on the doffer shaft, said members carrying sets of dofiing bristles arranged in spiral formation with each set positioned to engage the surface of the picking spindles between adjacent dofling elements.

'7. A device as set forth in claim 6, in which resilient means are provided for maintaining the dofiing bristles in contact with the picking spindles.

8. In a cotton picker and in combination, a frame structure, a drum rotatably mounted thereon, a row of rotatable picking spindles carried by said drum and arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, said spindles being conical and being positioned at an angle whereby corresponding edges of the picking surface lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, a doffing member rotatably mounted on the frame structure, said member having rigid dofilng portions positioned to pass over the edges of the spindles which lie in the plane in close proximity to said edges, and a second dofilng member mounted for rotation with the first doifing member and being slidable along its axis of rotation with respect to said first doffing member, said second dofiing member having dofling portions mounted circumferentially between the rigid doffing portions of the first dofiing member and engaging said spindles.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8, in which the axis of the dofiing members is vertically positioned and in which the second dofiing member is below the first doffing member whereby contact with the dotting spindles is maintained by the weight of the second dofiing member.

10. A device as set forth in claim 8, in which spring means are positioned between the two dofiing members for maintaining the second dofiing member in contact with the picking spindles.

11. A device as set forth in claim 8, in which the contact means between the second dofiing member and the picking spindles is formed by resilient bristles and in which stop means are provided to limit movement of the second doffing member toward the spindles when the effective dofiing portions of the bristles have been worn away.

12. A cotton picker comprising a drum structure mounted for rotation, a series of conical picking fingers mounted for rotation on said drum, said fingers being positioned in axially spaced circumferential rows, said fingers extending outwardly from the drum and upwardly at such an angle that the upper edges of the fingers in each circumferential row lie in substantially the same plane, means for rotating the drum, means for rotating the fingers mounted thereon, and a dofiing mechanism comprising a pair of rotatable dofiing members mounted above each circumferential row of picking spindles, one of said members being fixed against movement axially of the picking drum and the other member being slidably mounted with respect to the first mentioned member and resiliently engaged with the picking spindles.

13. A cotton picker comprising a drum structure mounted for rotation, a series of conical picking fingers mounted for rotation on said drum, said fingers being positioned in axially spaced circumferential rows, said fingers extending outwardly from the drum and upwardly at such an angle that the upper edges of the fingers in each circumferential row lie in substantially the same plane, means for rotating the drum, means for rotating the fingers mounted thereon, and a dofiing mechanism comprising a pair of rotatable doiiing members mounted above each circumferential row of picking spindles, one of said members being fixed against movement axially of the picking drum and being provided with doffing blades positioned to operate closely adjacent the spindles, and the other member being slidably mounted with respect to the first mentioned member and resiliently engaged with the picking spindles.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON. 

